Disclaimer and Notes:
I don't own Poke`mon or anything, yadda yadda yadda. Please also note that I do not bash. There may be some instances later on where I make fun of the characters but I hold nothing against them.The Wizard of Oz
Chapter 1: Gone with the Wind
By The Holder of Spirit
It was a beautiful day in Pallet Town. The sun was shining, the breeze was cool, and it was peaceful everywhere.
" Ash! While you're in the house, bring out the steaks!" Mrs. Delia Ketchum hollered from behind the grill in the back yard. The back screen door opened to reveal a stumbling figure, his face was masked by the two-dozen T-bone steaks he carried in his arms.
" Hey Ash, you need a hand with that?" a squinty-eyed man asked.
" No thanks Brock, I' got it." The figure mumbled a moment before he tripped on a rock and fell face first in the grass, sending stakes flying everywhere.
Gary Oak smirked. " You know Ash, since we're taking a break from training, you don't have to act like a fool all the time. Oh wait, you never act! If you keep this up, you'll never be a Poke`mon master. Use your brains once in a while and carry them one bye one."
" Yes mom." Ash answered sarcastically.
" Thank you so much for inviting us to your barbecue Mrs. Ketchum." A redheaded girl said cheerfully as she fed her little Togepi bits of food.
" Oh anytime Misty, a friend of Ashes is a friend of mine. Besides, you two are a really cute couple."
" You've got to be kidding." She answered.
" Well anyway, would you mind setting the plates before our other guests arrive?"
" Too late, they're already here." Ash grinned. As he spoke, a huge and magnificent bird with a mane of feathers swooped down from the clouds and began circling in the air with two figures riding on its back. Even before it landed, the small yellow creature on it leapt off and into Ashes waiting arms!
" Pika!"
" Nice to see you Pikachu." The boy laughed as the Poke`mon tackled him to the ground.
" Hey Ash," the other rider-a young man with a headband asked, " is this the right one? I wasn't sure but Pikachu said it was."
" Sure is Tracy!" Ash smiled. The gigantic bird strode over for his turn at seeing his trainer.
" Pidgeo!!" it cried.
" I missed you too Pidgeot." The boy said, hugging the bird as if it were a stuffed animal. " It's been a long time. How's everything in Viridian forest?"
" Geo!" it squawked cheerfully. A few days earlier, Ash had sent Tracy Sketchit and Pikachu on a little errand of inviting their friend to the party. But guests from much farther away from Viridian city.
" I'm glad we're not too late." Officer Jenny said, still in uniform. She was accompanied bye non-other than the now-famous Squirtle Squad.
" Squirtle!" the leader cried, overjoyed at seeing his friend again. Ash's feelings were obviously mutual. It was then that Misty noticed trouble on the horizon. She rushed to prevent it, but the inevitable happened.
" Officer Jenny! It's been so long. What'd you say you and me find a quiet spot alone and catch up?" Brock said, with an idiotic sense of love in his eyes. " Say, when is the rest of your family going to arrive?"
" Sorry to disappoint you Brock but I'm the only Jenny who can make it. And I am still obligated to keep the peace."
" I'm sorry, but I'm the only Joy that can come." The Pewter City Nurse Joy said from behind her.
" That's okay, you're the prettiest one I know anyway." Dripped Brock. " No wait, Jenny. No, Joy. No, Jenny, no Joy no-blffff!" The Pewter Gym's leader was cut short when a Water Gun struck him in the face.
" Cool off Brock." Misty groaned.
" Poliwirl!" her Poke`mon agreed. Over time, more and more guests began to arrive. Many Ash had met along his delayed journey.
" Oh wait, hold that pose! Now flex, great!" Ash left Tod alone so that he could have peace while photographing his P-One winning Primeape. He was worried. Only one guest was left and he was nowhere in sight.
" Hey Richie!" Ash called across the yard. " You know who hasn't landed yet has he?"
" No, I haven't seen him yet!" a boy who could have been Ash's twin replied. " But I'll keep looking."
" Wait, what's that?" Tod shouted, taking his camera off Primeape and using it as a telescope to observe a black dot on the horizon.
" Is it him?"
" Not unless he's a giant Meowth balloon." The photographer grumbled.
" Oh no. Not again." Everyone moaned as smoke bombs fell from the sky.
" Prepare for trouble!"
" And make it double!" two very familiar voices began.
" Can't you see that we're having a barbecue today? Why don't you guys make trouble some other time!" Ash shouted.
" But that's just the point!" Jessie shouted as the balloon landed outside.
" We've been all over the place hearing about the festivity," James said angrily, " and you never sent us an invitation!"
" So to compensate, we're taking Pikachu!" Meowth grinned. Brandishing a whip, Jessie lashed out and snagged the small Poke`mon, hauling him up into the balloon and into her arms.
" Pikachu!" the little mouse Poke`mon cried, trying to electrocute them.
" Don't you eva loin?" Meowth laughed, his accent showing heavily. " We'a prepared for your Dunder Shock."
" That's why we have rubber gloves!" James explained. Then he turned to the rest of the party below, all of them were preparing to attack. " If you so much as make one wrong move, Pikachu get's it!"
" And now dere's not'in you can do about it." Meowth jabbed a paw at Pikachu's nose. It was a serious mistake.
" Pika!" with all his might, Pikachu clamped his tiny fangs down on the cat's paw.
" Yow!! I'll teach'ya some respect!" the cat unsheathed his claws and lunged, just as Pikachu had hoped. He tilted his head aside and instead of scratching Pikachu, Meowth got the ' most beautiful' member of Team Rocket right in the face.
" Aaahh! How dare you ruin my perfect complexion!" Dropping Pikachu, she proceeded to wallop the cat around like a beachball. As usual, James somehow got caught up in the fight. His captors distracted, the yellow Poke`mon leapt off the balloon and safely into Ash's arms.
" You two let the little brat's Pikachu get away!" Jessie screamed.
" We can blame ourselves later!" James cried. " We have to try and recapture it. Weezing, Victreebel, go!"
" Arbok, Wobbuffet, I choose you!" All four of Team Rocket's Poke`mon landed on the lawn.
" Just because you can't steal Poke`mon doesn't mean you can steal all the fun." Said a wicked voice from out of nowhere."
" Let's add our Poke`mon to the mix." An even nastier (sounding) voice agreed.
Jessie blinked. " Cassidy?"
" Botch?" asked James.
" It's Butch! Not Botch!" Sure enough, the notorious Butch and Cassidy stood bye with Raticate and Drowzee, ready for battle. The vain on Jessie's forehead began throbbing at once.
" What are you doing here Cassidy?? This is our heist!"
Her former partner smirked and ordered Raticate and Drowzee into battle. " Please Jessie, you couldn't steal first base in a ballgame. Besides, the Boss ordered us here." As usual, there was going to be trouble…for Team Rocket.
" Weez!"
" Charbok!"
" Raticate!"
" Eeeooorrr" While Wobbuffet and Drowzee stade back, the four other Poke`mon lunged for Ash and Pikachu.
" HRAAAAAARRRROOOOORRRRR!!!!!" The most fearsome of roars stopped them in their tracks.
" Oh no!" Jessie moaned.
" Could it be?" gasped James. The jet of flames that threw their Poke`mon backward told them it was.
" Alright! It's about time!" Then everyone at the party scattered in all directions as the fearsome Charizard swooped in for a landing. It had been a long flight from his hidden valley, but Ash's most powerful Poke`mon had finally arrived. " Charizard, ready for a battle?"
" Snnrrrrrffff." The fire Poke`mon snorted in reply.
" Jessie, I want to go home." James complained.
" Meowth too."
" Your teammates are pathetic cowards Jess." Laughed Cassidy. " They're both afraid of a little Charizard."
" Yous neva seen what it can do!" argued Meowth.
" Have a little courage will you?" Jessie snapped before turning towards their Poke`mon. " The six of you can take that lizard, go!" Jessie commanded.
" Charrbookk!"
" Raticate!" As you can tell, Arbok and Raticate-being the two best Poke`mon in the group, were the first to attack, lunging with their Poison Sting and Super Fang. Lunge after lunge they struck, but every time, with speed and grace that belied his size, Charizard skillfully dodged the assault until, WHAM! With a swing of his mighty tail, Charizard sent the snake and rat flying, just as Weezing came in for a tackle. But a mighty Mega Punch took the poison type out of the match as well. Three down, three two go.
" Stun Spore!" James ordered. For once, the grass Poke`mon obediently released a cloud of paralyzing dust that filled the air. But a quick flash of Charizard's hot fire incinerated the pollen instantly.
" Good work Charizard!" Ash cheered. " Now use Fire Blast!" Taking a deep breath, the mighty Poke`mon released a seemingly solid figure of the character for 'large' (at least that's what it means in Chinese) made out in flames that slammed into the now insanely screeching Victreebel. But the attack didn't stop there, the full force of the flames continued to blast Victreebel into Wobbuffet and Drowzee. Despite their best Psychic and Counter attacks, Charizard's flames overpowered the psychic Poke`mon's best efforts.
" Nice job Charizard. Take a break." The dragon-lizard reluctantly stopped his fiery onslaught and backed down; for Charizard, no more beating up Team Rocket meant no more fun. Ash grinned. " Okay Pidgeot, just like old times. Give them a taste of your Whirlwind!"
" Pidgeoo!" Beating its monstrous wings furiously the bird conjured up a massive five-story tornado that hurled itself at a beaten Team Rocket, who was instantly swept up in the gust along with a tiny, almost unnoticeable little piece of paper.
" Hey," James said while reading it " they did invite us!"
" A lot of good that'll do us now!" Jessie shouted at him.
" Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!!!"
" Alright!" Ash cheered, striking his classic pose.
" Well I can tell that Ash is most definitely on the road to becoming a Poke`mon Master." Prof. Oak commented.
Gary sneered. " From what I hear, anybody and their second-rate Poke`mon could beat those morons."
" PIDGEOOO!!"
" HROOAAARRRR!!!!" Gary was forced to take back his words after both Charizard and Pidgeot threatened him violently. AJ, Richie, and a host of other trainers that dealt Team Rocket a major loss at least once backed them up.
" Pidgeooooo!!!" Suddenly Pidgeot screeched out in alarm. Everyone turned towards what the bird was looking at and to their horror, discovered that the cyclone it had generated was coming back in their direction. It went from picnic to panic. While the trainers recalled their Poke`mon back into their Poke`balls, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny tried frantically to restore order and usher people into the Ketchum's now overcrowded storm shelter.
" Togepi! Togepi!"
Ash came running out of the shelter, Pikachu at his side. " Misty, what's wrong?"
" I can't find Togepi anywhere!" She shouted frantically.
" We'll help. Pikachu, you go with Misty."
" Pi!" The twister was mere moments away when Ash discovered the little egg Poke`mon; playing in the flowerbed.
Desperately he ran towards the shelter. " Misty! Pikachu!" he called out blindly as sand was kicked up. " I found him! Hurry back to the shelter!"
From the living room, the pair heard him and answered. " We'll meet you inside!" Misty called. Just as they were about to exit the house, a support beam fell in front of them, blocking their escape. In the shelter, Ash fought the many grasps of his guests in an effort to return outside.
" Pikachu and Misty are still inside!" He cried.
" Use your head Ash!" Brock yelled as the boy kicked against his grip. " Even if you went out there you couldn't do anything! I'm sure they'll be okay!" Just then the full force of the twister ripped open the door of the shelter and the sucking wind entered. Had it not been for Mr. Mime's quick deployment of Barrier, the humans and Poke`mon alike would've been whisked away.
Back within the Ketchum house, things were much worse. Misty and Pikachu both screamed and hung on for dear life as with a sickening shudder, the house itself was uprooted from its foundation like a ripe vegetable. Caught in the Whirlwind, it seemed as if they were spinning forever. Through it all, Misty thought she had heard the distressed cries of Team Rocket somewhere nearby. Then, with a CRASH, it was all over. The house landed and Misty's vision went black.
